Dutch envoy denied at foreign ministry

The Netherlands ambassador to Bangladesh Anne Van Leeuwen was denied an appointment with foreign secretary Masud Bin Momen. As he had no prescheduled appointment, he had to leave the ministry without being granted a meeting.

It was quite a surprise, even to the other officials at the ministry, when he turned up Monday afternoon at the foreign ministry along with the Canadian ambassador Lilly Nicholls. As he didn’t have any prescheduled appointment, the Netherlands ambassador Anne Van Leeuwen had to wait for an hour or so and then left without meeting the foreign secretary.

It was learnt from officials of the foreign ministry that Canadian high commissioner Lilly Nicholls had an appointment at 4:00pm Monday afternoon for a courtesy call with foreign secretary Masud Bin Momen. A phone call was made at that time from the Canadian high commission to the foreign ministry, saying that the Netherlands ambassador was accompanying the Canadian high commissioner. The two envoys would meet the foreign secretary together.

The Canadian high commission informed the foreign ministry of this only after the two diplomats had reached the ministry. The foreign ministry officials hurriedly informed the foreign secretary of the sudden change in plans. The foreign secretary asked them if the Netherlands ambassador had informed them from beforehand that he wanted to meet him. They said she had not informed them beforehand. Masud Bin Momen then told the concerned officials that he would meet the Canadian high commissioner according to schedule. He would be able to meet the Netherlands ambassador after that.

The foreign ministry officials understood that the foreign secretary was not pleased that the Netherlands ambassador had turned up without any appointment in advance and so would not meet with the two diplomats together. He would meet with him out of courtesy since she had turned up at the foreign ministry, but only after the scheduled meeting.

The concerned officers informed the Canadian ambassador Lilly Nicholls about this decision. Even so, the Canadian ambassador requested that he meet them together. She said they had come to discuss the same issues. She then realised that they would not be able to meet the foreign secretary together. Having no alternative, Lilly Nicholls left the Netherlands ambassador Anne Van Leeuwen in the reception room and went to the secretary’s office. Their meeting began around 30 minutes after schedule.

After waiting for around one hour, the Netherlands ambassador Anne Van Leeuwen left the foreign ministry.

Foreign secretary Masud Bin Momen confirmed to Prothom Alo that no meeting took place with the Netherlands ambassador.